pear cactus...gonna get all carlos casteneda on us? :P

[link to www.texasbeyondhistory.net]

this is why anon613 said what he/she did:

While it is widely known that the pears were the largest part of the diet for several weeks in mid-summer, the plant was used in many other ways. The pads, especially the younger ones, can be eaten year round – direct evidence from Hinds Cave coprolites (dried human feces) suggests that the pads themselves were eaten often. When moist grass or herbs were not available, the pads were used as green packing material providing steamy moisture and chemical compounds that helped bake lechuguilla and sotol. The pads could also be used as containers and even canteens. Prickly pear can also be used for many different medicinal purposes including treating burns, wounds, and diabetes. During the tuna harvest, prickly pear was THE most important food in the region, and ranks with pecans and buffalo as a critical seasonal resource.

Large stands of prickly pear are a signature component in many areas of the South Texas Plains landscape